Societal Impact Of Corruption In The Journalism Practices

Thus, recognition of this views the researcher to examine the effects of bribe on the practices of journalism.

1.1 Statement of Problem

Information has emerged as the most vital means of achieving development in this age. presently ,Nigeria is suffering from lack of quality and usable information from the media, media practices have lost it objectivity due to the level of bribe practices found in the media industry and the condition is worsening to such a point that if nothing drastically is been done about it, journalism as a profession will succumb to brown envelope. It is against this background that this study will try to examine the problem of bribe proffers appropriate solution.

1.2 Objectives of the study

To further the investigation properly, the researcher believed that the study will have the following objectives. 

1. To ascertain if acceptance of bribe influences the journalist sense of news judgment

2. To determine whether bribe affects journalism practice in favour of the giver.

3. Finally to identify factors responsible for  receiving bribe with a view of addressing them.

4. To reveal whether journalist demand bribe as requirement to discharge their duty

1.3     Significances of the study

The study will have the following significances

1. To help put motivation among journalist in discharge of their duty

2. It will help media houses to redirect and re-oriented their staff on the effect of bribe on media credibility.

3. It will also serve as a useful guide for future researcher that may be interested in this area of study and policy makers on communication.

4. It will help reveal some factors that militate against journalism practices, like news, commercialization, ownership influence, and poor salaries etc on media performance.

5. Finally, this study will help to stress the need for process freedom and right of people to know for sound media Practice in Nigeria.

1.4 Scope of the study;

The project topic deals with the effect of bribe among journalism practices within Kaduna metropolis with specific references to FRCN Kaduna as scope of study.

1.5     Limitation of the study;

This study modern journalism and the effects of bribe  which should have encompassed all the media in Nigeria, but due to poor finances and logistics, it was limited to Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria Kaduna Branch (FRCN Kaduna) which is government owned media organization. Moreover, the limitation of time made it impossible for a further research work beyond one case study used (FRCN Kaduna).

1.6 Research Question of the study

1. How does bribe influences the journalists sense of news judgment

2. How does bribe affect the quality of a journalist report 

What factors are responsible for journalist receiving bribe?

3. Could financial back ground play a role influencing the attitude of journalist towards bribe.

4. Do journalist demand bribe as requirement to discharge their duty.

1.7 Definition of Terms

1. Bribe conceptually refers to monetary gift and other incentive given gives to somebody at a point in time.

Operationally: Bribe refers to money, and other incentive given to journalist in media house, newspapers, magazine, radio and television by newsmakers to influence their news coverage as opposed to ethics of journalism profession.

2. Effects: conceptually means impact on something

Effects: operationally means negative or positive influence of bribe on a journalists sense of news judgment.

3. Journalism conceptually means the act of writing and printing of information or news reports for the media.

Operationally journalism refers to the process of gathering processing and dissemination of information to the heterogeneous, faceless and diversified audience by the media.

4. Objective conceptually mean the publication of true, fair, accurate and unbiased report by journalists in their performances of information dissemination task in the society, and in line with ethical codes of the profession.

5. Brown envelope; this is q paper cover with a gummed or tuck in flap to hold